His Terms

Beatrice started crying harder. “Rian, this little piece of trash hit me.”

Was this woman for real? It was okay for her to hit Sorcha, but when the tables were turned she was acting like Sorcha had just beat her ass. In all honestly the slap hadn’t even been hard enough that her hand stung afterwards. Sorcha had gone easy on the bitch.

“Sorcha, is that true?”

She stood up straighter, gritted her teeth, and nodded. “It sure as hell is. And I’m not about to apologize. In fact, I’ll do it again if she wants to insult me more.” She stared at Beatrice, and the other woman was barely reining in her anger, and keeping up the little charade. Beatrice ran over to Rian and pretty much threw herself in his arms, but he didn’t wrap his arms around her, and instead kept his gaze on Sorcha.

“Rian, didn’t I tell you she was trash? I mean, she hit me.”

Rian scowled and pushed Beatrice away, and Sorcha watched in surprise as the man she had always cared about deep down, but just finally let the emotions out, was clearly about to put the snob in her place. He turned toward Beatrice and stared at her with this blank expression on his face.

“You should fire her on principle alone.”

Sorcha didn’t bother correcting the cunt that she had been insulting her. Besides, she needed that damn slap like she needed to breathe.

“Leave, Beatrice.”

Beatrice took a step back, looking outraged. “You’re going to let the help treat me like this?” Her voice was rising to this obnoxious tone.

He took a step closer to her and said in a low voice, “You’re going to leave, and never come here, call, or try to see me again, or I am going to go to your father and tell him I am perilously close to breaking off ties with the family because his daughter is assaulting my woman.”

“Your woman?” Beatrice asked in that high-pitched voice that probably attracted dogs. “Since when does a fuck-buddy constitute as your woman?”

“Since she isn’t bat-shit crazy like you. Now get out, or I swear to God everyone will know exactly how crazy you are.”

Beatrice was nearly shaking with her anger, but with a hard look at Sorcha, and an even harder look at Rian, she straightened and headed toward the elevator. “If you want what’s at the bottom of the pond, then by all means swim with the garbage.” And then she stepped into the elevator, and, Sorcha hoped, out of their lives.

For several minutes they just stood there, neither speaking, but their focus trained on the other.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said with a bit of regret in his voice.

“It’s not your fault.” She was so exhausted all of a sudden, and leaned against the desk.

“That should be the last time we see her, especially since the prospect of me outing her to everyone that thinks she’s normal would ruin her reputation,” Rian said and walked up to her. “That is something she won’t risk.” He handed her the flowers. “For you.” He gave her this cocky little half smile, one that she had seen several times, but right now it made her warm all over.

“Thank you.” She took the flowers, and loved that they weren’t anything fancy, just daisies and baby’s breath, and a few lilies. “They’re beautiful,” she said and looked up at him.

He reached out and touched the bracelet she wore. “I’m glad these got to you safely.”

She nodded, licked her suddenly dry lips, and knew that what she needed to say would need to be done now. “Listen, I did a lot of thinking yesterday after I left your place, well, all week actually.”

He didn’t say anything, but his focus was directed right on her.

“I hated you for a long time.” She watched as his throat worked. “But deep down I hoped that what I was feeling was for a man other than the one you portrayed.” She glanced down at the flowers. “I wanted you, and felt things for you that pissed me off because of the way you acted.” When she looked at him again it was to see this vulnerable expression on his face. “But after that week with you, and aside from the reason why I was with you, I saw the man that you hold deep in here.” She placed her hand right over his heart.

“Sorcha, I—”

“Wait, let me say this because after I’m finished you might kick me out, too.” She smiled, but it was a little forced. “I have feelings for you. I’m not saying I’m in love, but these are not just passing feelings either. I’ve felt this way for you for months now, and something I buried deep inside of me—”

He stopped her with a hard, passionate kiss, but she placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away.